Moreno Valley CA vs Sandy UT — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Moreno Valley, CA

California · Population: 210,378

  • Median HH Income$87,477
  • Median Home Price$552,845
  • Unemployment7.4%
  • Bachelor's+17.3%

Sandy, UT

Utah · Population: 94,723

  • Median HH Income$111,242
  • Median Home Price$672,082
  • Unemployment2.5%
  • Bachelor's+45.7%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Moreno Valley
210,378
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
94,723
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Moreno Valley
N/A
Sandy
N/A
Median Age
Moreno Valley
32.1
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
36.9
Foreign Born
Moreno Valley
23.9%
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
10.3%
White
Moreno Valley
22.4%
Sandy
81.8%
Sandy +
Black
Moreno Valley
17.6%
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
0.8%
Asian
Moreno Valley
5.5%
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
3.5%
Hispanic
Moreno Valley
59.7%
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
11.3%
Spanish at Home
Moreno Valley
N/A
Sandy
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Moreno Valley
$87,477
Sandy
$111,242
Sandy +
Per Capita Income
Moreno Valley
$28,255
Sandy
$50,592
Sandy +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Moreno Valley
$77,230
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
$60,713
Unemployment Rate
Moreno Valley
7.4%
Sandy
2.5%
Sandy +
Poverty Rate
Moreno Valley
11.8%
Sandy
5.5%
Sandy +
Bachelor's Degree+
Moreno Valley
17.3%
Sandy
45.7%
Sandy +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Moreno Valley
$552,845
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
$672,082
Homeownership Rate
Moreno Valley
62.8%
Sandy
75.9%
Sandy +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Moreno Valley
503
Sandy
245
Sandy +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Moreno Valley
2388
Sandy
1931
Sandy +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Moreno Valley
39.6%
Sandy
28.5%
Sandy +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Moreno Valley
12.6%
Sandy
8.4%
Sandy +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Moreno Valley
19.0%
Sandy
16.5%
Sandy +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Moreno Valley
15.6%
Sandy
8.7%
Sandy +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Moreno Valley
14.6%
Moreno Valley +
Sandy
15.2%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Moreno Valley
12.5%
Sandy
7.4%
Sandy +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Moreno Valley
N/A
Sandy
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Moreno Valley
N/A
Sandy
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Moreno Valley
7.9 µg/m³
Sandy
7.0 µg/m³
Sandy +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Moreno Valley
75.0%
Sandy
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Moreno Valley
36.9 min
Sandy
24.6 min
Sandy +

Which City is Right for You?

Sandy leads in median household income at $111,242, while moreno Valley offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $552,845. On public safety, Sandy is safer with a violent crime rate of 245 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Moreno Valley. Sandy has a lower unemployment rate at 2.5%, and Sandy has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.0 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Sandy scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.5%.

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About Moreno Valley & Sandy